© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Law Enforcement's Response to the Boston Marathon Bombing

Aaron Tang (Flickr Creative Commons)

http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Tucker/Morning%20Edition%2004-16-2013.mp3

Information about yesterday's explosions at the Boston Marathon is still trickling in, but the two big questions - who did it and why - have yet to be answered.

National security expert Scott Bates, speaking on WNPR's Morning Edition, says he expects the FBI to name a suspect fairly soon.

"We can be sure that reconstructing the videotape from closed-circuit nearby and putting together any sort of chatter that was picked up in intelligence circles," said Bates. He believes that law enforcement will "have a pretty good idea of who did this within the next 24 hours."

But Bates says given the information available at this point, its not clear whether this was a domestic or international terrorist attack:

"There are a lot of signature times for extremist groups that are really very present and very active in the United States. They're just opposed to any kind of domestic government," said Bates.

"But to tell you the truth, there are any number of other groups internationally that my attention turns to because don't forget, we still are pursuing an active war against elements of extremist Islamic tendency in places like Somalia."

Scott Bates says policy created in response to 9/11, including better coordination between local, state and federal first responders helped Boston make a smooth transition from event security, to disaster response to a massive crime scene.
 

Ray Hardman is Connecticut Public’s Arts and Culture Reporter. He is the host of CPTV’s Emmy-nominated original series Where Art Thou? Listeners to Connecticut Public Radio may know Ray as the local voice of Morning Edition, and later of All Things Considered.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.